POLITICS: Iraqi Government Still Undecided on Key Issues, page 1

In Iraq, negotiators were unable to come to a consensus on how to give out certain "ministerial posts" under the new government. The Shiites, as the majority (slightly over 50%), are demanding a religious dominance over the democratically government, all the while fighting with the Kurds over said positions. The Kurds, with 25%, are demanding Kirkuk and the oil-wealth it will provide. The Sunnis, with 17 of 275 seats, agree with the Kurds, as well as Prime Minister Allawi, on the issue of secularism.

www.usatoday.com
Although hopes for democracy remain high, the road the Shiites are taking to power after winning a majority of National Assembly seats in the January elections illustrates the difficulties they will have in forming a government and stabilizing the country.

With about 30 Cabinet seats to be decided, Shiites and Kurds are battling for the most powerful ministries while trying to balance the new government with Sunni Arabs — a minority but the most politically powerful group in Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

Shiite political and religious leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim on Sunday told the U.S.-funded Alhurra TV station that "religious authority" will be paramount over the newly elected political body.

Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite, is demanding the new government be independent of the religious leadership.

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When forming our constitution in America, famous compromises were made to get everyone to agree to the structure of the new nation. One would only hope that the Iraqis could come to a similar understanding. The process would be infinitely beneficial, I believe.

Again, like America, not having a stable and solid government invited more terror and more danger. Although things are picking up ever so slightly in Iraq, there is no need to open themselves to more danger. Once a solid government can fully represent itself, things can finally start to try and return to a state of normalcy.

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